Case Study: BOLDLY Helps A Hong Kong Bank Reimagine Performance Management
Background
National Australia Bank (NAB) in Hong Kong was facing challenges with their existing performance management system. The HR team recognized the need for a fresh approach that would better align with the bank's evolving culture and employee expectations.
NAB Hong Kong sought to create a more dynamic, employee-centric performance management process that would foster continuous improvement and better engage their workforce.
BOLDLY's Approach
BOLDLY proposed a Human-Centered Design workshop to reimagine NAB's performance management approach. The workshop was structured around the Design Thinking model, guiding participants through each step:
- Empathize: Understanding employee and manager pain points with the current system
- Define: Clearly articulating the core problems to be addressed
- Ideate: Generating innovative solutions to the defined problems
- Prototype: Creating low-fidelity models of potential new processes
- Test: Gathering feedback on prototypes from a diverse group of stakeholders
The Workshop
BOLDLY facilitated a collaborative two-day workshop with key members of NAB's HR team and representatives from various departments. The session employed a range of design thinking techniques, including:
- Empathy mapping
- Journey mapping
- "How Might We" question framing
- Rapid ideation exercises
- Storyboarding
- Role-playing potential scenarios
Outcomes
The workshop led to several significant outcomes:
- A reimagined performance management framework that emphasized ongoing feedback and development
- New tools for managers to facilitate more meaningful performance conversations
- A simplified goal-setting process aligned with organizational objectives
- An implementation roadmap for rolling out the new approach
Impact
NAB Hong Kong successfully relaunched its performance management program based on the workshop outcomes. The new approach has been well-received by employees and continues to be in use today, demonstrating its sustainability and effectiveness.
A HR Manager at NAB Hong Kong, commented on the experience:
Key Takeaways
- Human-Centered Design can bring fresh insights to traditional HR processes
- Collaborative workshops can generate buy-in and enthusiasm for change
- Design thinking skills are valuable assets for HR professionals in today's rapidly evolving workplace
- A well-designed performance management system can have lasting positive impacts on organizational culture and employee engagement
See BOLDLY’s approach to guided Design Thinking for HR workshops here, and reach out for a conversation about how we can collaborate with your team: https://boldly.app/design-thinking